Fighting for Home: EMP, #6

By Stephanie Albright

The sixth novel in the EMP series,Jeb and Sophie have finally made peace with the return of 'civilization' and are living the perfect life spent between the beach and the new farm with their children. But 'civilization' once again crashes into their lives. Battle lines are being drawn and the family is forced to choose a side. Will they be forced to once again pack up and start over, or will they fight for their new home? What will be lost in the fight?

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephanie Albright
• Release date: Mar 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215568736

Book preview

Preface

Cast of Characters

SOPHIE - She was an hour from home when an EMP strike occurred and she walked home with a coworker named Alice.

Alice -Sophie’s coworker who walked home with her and later appears in a neighboring community. She is married to Russ and stepmom to his son, Robbie. Robbie marries Samantha.

MAUDE - A woman who lets Sophie and Alice sleep in her home on their way north.

Josh - Maude’s grandson, who is upset that Maude took them in.

Tom - Police chief who helps Sophie and Alice on their way home. He is married to Amanda and they have a daughter named Kim. They join the community later.

Oliver - Gave Sophie and Alice a ride for the last leg of their journey. He joins the community with Tom and Amanda later. Can build just about anything. Married to Laura.

Rick - Sophie’s first husband, who left hours before she made it home. He later came back bringing his girlfriend with him.

Earl & Sally - Sophie’s neighbors.

John & Cindy - Own the farm across the road from Sophie. They have six sons.

Jeb - Oldest son of John & Cindy. Earl introduces him to Sophie and they later get married. He is a former Marine.

Sam & Meg - Have three kids, Mikey, Samantha & Levi. Meg dies after trying to use herbs to abort a baby she is scared to deliver without modern medicine.

David & Susan - Have two children, Lindsey & Davie. Susan shoots Lindsey and then herself when she can’t cope with the reality that the power isn’t coming back. David drinks too much and dies in a fire. Davie lives with Sam.

Jake & Natalie - Have two children, Ruth & Jack. Jake is a former Marine.

Ryan & Leah - Have a daughter named Abbie.

MAX & KIM - Have two children Tommy & Katie. Kim is the daughter of Tom the police chief that Sophie met on her way home.

Greg, Lisa & Lizzie - Lisa, Lizzie, and Greg’s mom are kidnapped. The kidnappers try to use them to steal from the community. Jeb, Jake & Tom save the women.They are introduced to their group and the two groups work together on survival projects.

Dr. Adams - Uses magic mushrooms in therapy to help PTSD victims. He is able to help Jeb.

Gus and Sally - New neighbors in South Carolina

Matt - Lily’s Friend

Sophie Evans - Governor of South Carolina

Chapter 1

IAM NO BIRD: AND NO NET ENSNARES ME:

I AM A FREE HUMAN BEING

WITH AN INDEPENDENT WILL.

CHARLOTTE BRONTE

The smallpox outbreak was a dark time for all of us, but for Samantha and me it was extremely isolating. We couldn’t get the vaccine and neither could our children. Lily was the only exception, because of her exposure to her friend Matt. We could be around the others on the farm if they hadn’t been off the farm in the last two weeks. But as spring came that happened more and more as Cindy, John and Jeb helped the town plant gardens and start their flocks of chickens.

The kids and I moved in with Samantha and Robbie, so at least Samantha and I had each other. Johnny grew fast and looked more like Jeb every day.

There were weeks at a time when we missed Sunday dinner. Cindy made sure we got food, but family time is more nourishing than food in times of uncertainty and we missed it. John and Cindy would come to deliver the food and stand outside the window to talk to the kids. The first few times everyone cried. It was so hard for the girls to see Cindy and John and not be able to run outside and hug them.

Jeb was leading the state’s effort to get the vaccine to everyone who wanted it. His toughest job was to get into Huntington State Park and not spook them all into running.

I had everyone out of uniform and we just happened to meet the one guy who was loosely in charge of them, he said when we finally were able to have a Sunday dinner with everyone again. There were around twenty people who were already actively infected. They didn’t know what it was. He gathered most of them up and we were able to explain it all to them and most of them wanted the shot. Lucas told them that if they didn’t get it, they would have to move on, which wasn’t what we wanted at all, but I couldn’t stop him. I asked that anyone who didn’t get it to wait two weeks to move somewhere else and we would provide for them for those two weeks so that they wouldn’t take the virus to others. They all agreed but one guy. Jeb paused. We let him leave the park, then we took him into custody for two weeks. I hated to do it, but he was risking lives. We turned him loose though when his time was up.

As distasteful as it was, son, you likely did save some lives, John said, shaking his head. They have declared marshal law in almost all the states, but our governor is holding the line and refusing.

I’m proud of her, why aren’t more governors doing it? I asked.

Most of the states haven’t restored state government as we have here in South Carolina. I’m so glad that we did and I’m proud of our governor for standing firm.

She’s tough, Jeb said. She had us all in the room and she listened to everyone before she made her decisions. We have the right person in place for sure. She is bringing back the National Guard for our state. She wants me to be a part of it, at least for now.

I saw the concern on the faces around the table and so did he.

I won’t be a soldier. I’ll be office staff and I will have an honorary rank, but no active duty role. I promise

Cindy sighed audibly and John squeezed her hand.

Amanda had been working at the clinic with Dr. Adams, mostly to help until all the active cases had been resolved at first, then she began her work real work, learning his therapy techniques.

Once the crisis was over at the clinic, Lily asked, Can Matt come over for lunch and ride Luna and stuff?

That sounds like a really good idea. Let’s make sure it will be a day that your daddy will be around because he wants to ride Luna.

I’m glad you thought of that, Mama.

I’ll make sure that I’m around tomorrow, that way we don’t have to worry about you having to wait two weeks for me to quarantine, sound good?

Thank you, Daddy. I’ll go tell him now.

Wait, do you want to invite his parents too? I asked.

He only has a dad and he has to stay in the house with Dr. Adams right now.

Does he have family that takes care of him? Jeb asked before I could.

No, he stays with another family right now until his dad can live with him again.

Okay, go ahead and go ask him, I said, hugging her.

Thanks, Mama, she said as she ran out the door.

I’ll go talk to Dr. Adams and make sure it’s okay for us to have him over and to see what the kid needs, Jeb said, stopping to drop a kiss on my head and Johnny’s. I forget just how blessed I am sometimes.

He came back looking troubled.

Matt has been abused by his dad and has some of his own issues. He has gone through three homes since his dad was admitted to the clinic.

Oh no, I said, hugging him.

I asked about us taking him in, but Dr. Adams says he still has some violent outbursts and he is worried that he might hurt one of the kids accidentally. He said that having him over if I’m here to supervise will be good for him. He needs some good male role models in his life. I ran into Amanda on the way back, she has been working with him, and she is considering taking him in as a foster child. She has been working on prepping Tom for his behavior.

Lily will be happy to have her friend living on the farm and he will have good guys all around him here.

I’ll have to find two more ponies instead of just one, he said, laughing. He can’t be Lily’s friend without having one of his own to keep up with her.

The next day, Lily came into the yard with Matt, sitting on Luna, behind her, and Jeb riding slightly behind.

Matt, I’m so happy to meet you finally, I said when he dismounted.

Thank you, ma’am. This has already been the best day of my life since I finally got to ride Luna.

Lily was beaming. He did great for the first time, Mama. Luna was so nice to him and she just followed me home.

I’m so glad that you got to ride, Matt. Are you hungry?

Yes, ma’am.

I told Nana some stuff you like, Lily said, grabbing his hand and leading him into the house.

Do you think I could go to your beach house someday? he asked.

Yeah, when all this stuff is over you can, right Daddy?

Of course, he can.

Cindy had made everything that Lily had told her that Matt liked, so we had a very interesting meal, but Matt was overwhelmed. He had tears in his eyes.

Did you tell your nana everything I like?

Yep, and she made it all! Let’s eat.

I watched in fascination as he seemed to eat his own weight in food, then he and Lily ran outside to play.

Wow! Do all boys eat like that?

Not all the time, but yes, Cindy said, taking Johnny from Jeb.

No wonder you are such a good cook, you had six bottomless pits.

It felt that way most of the time, she laughed. When is he going to live with Amanda and Tom?

They are going to ask him tonight, I said.

Tom seems excited. He never had a boy, Jeb said, snatching Johnny back from Cindy and making him giggle.

They are gonna need a bigger garden for sure, I said. That kid can eat.

I’ll be happy to see that boy get a home and the help he needs, Jeb said.

I agree. It’s hard to imagine that polite child being violent, Cindy said. I think that Tom and Amanda will give him the perfect home and he couldn’t have a better friend than Lily.

I’ve found him a horse, Jeb said, smiling.

A horse or a pony? I asked.

It’s a smallish horse.

You know your daughter will have a fit, right?

I already talked to her and she agrees that Matt is too old to start with a pony, he said, sticking his tongue out at me.

I just stared at him.

And I may have promised her an upgrade too, he said, quietly.

Cindy and I laughed.

Is it coming at the same time as Matt’s? I asked.

Yeah, she helped me pick them both out.

I feel bad for Luna, that pony goes everywhere with her.

"It will be a bit before Luna has to be sidelined. Lily isn’t ready for the horse she picked out and I will have to break her in before Lily can start using her to work cows. Matt’s horse is a nice gentle riding horse, Lily’s is a working horse. Luna may end up being Johnny’s pony. She would be a good one for him to